Braised Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Cranberry Sauce

Winter is officially here and making itself known to us - mind you we think it is cold in Melbourne but compared to some places in the Northern Hemisphere it is relatively mild in comparison!! I travelled to Finland, Sweden and Canada during their winter months and experienced your "cold" during my younger and single days and I remember the snow, the sleet, the frost and the frozen wind quite vividly even to this day.

One thing I do love about winter is casseroles, stews, thick hearty dishes that warm you while you consume and fill you to contentment. Our slow cooker always gets a good workout this time of year as well and tonight's meal was no exception.

Lamb shanks never fail to please around our table especially when they are tender from the slow cooking and paired with a beautiful sauce. Using red wine as a sauce base always accompanies red meat well and the added sweetness from the cranberry sauce just put the "icing on the cake" so to speak. These two flavours together with a hint of rosemary and tomatoes made this dish was delicious.

Of course of side was good ol' mashed potato. It's a shame I didn't have a nice fresh crusty loaf of bread, a bread stick or some crusty rolls... they would have mopped up the juice just as nice if not better than the potatoes! mmmmmm!!

Braised Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Cranberry Sauce

Serves: 8

2 tablespoons plain flour

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 lamb shanks, french style

cooking spray

8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2.5cm lengths

2 onions, sliced

1 cup red wine

1 x 220 gram jar whole berry cranberry sauce

6 cups water

2 tablespoons beef stock

Mix together the flour, salt and pepper and place in a plastic freezer bag. Add lamb shanks and toss in the flour ensuring that the shanks are completely covered.

In a large non-stick fry pan add oil and heat over a medium - high heat. Add the shanks, cooking in batches if required. Cook until sealed and browned all over, turning frequently, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place in slow cooker. (Clean out the pan if the flour has burnt.) Add the carrots to the lamb.

Spray the same pan with cooking spray and saute the onion until golden. Add the red wine, cranberry sauce, water and beef stock powder, stirring until completely combined. Bring to the boil, remove from heat and pour over the lamb shanks and carrots.

Cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high heat and 6 - 8 hours on low heat.

Lasagne

Lasagne is another family favourite and always goes down a treat with only ever a slim chance that there will be any leftovers. This is normally a weekend meal for us, but having a little time up my sleeve yesterday I pre-made it and all that's left for me to do is pop it in the oven when I get home. I must say everyone is in for a surprise tonight!

The kids love the fact that there is never normally a side serve of vegetables with this dish with the occasional exception of a side salad. The reason for this is that I actually add quite a few vegetables to the meat sauce to ensure that they are still receiving their daily vegetable intake.

Lasagne

Serves: 8
Points per serve: 7.5 pts

or

Serves: 10

Points per serve: 6 pts

3.

750g very lean beef mince
cooking spray
2 x 425g cans tomato puree
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup water
1 onion finely diced
2 carrots finely diced
1 red capsicum diced
200g mushrooms sliced

2 medium zucchini, grated

1/2 cup red wine

2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons beef stock powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespooons fat reduced butter or margerine
6 tablespoons plain flour
5 cups skim milk

1 tablespoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
8 sheets lasagne sheets
1/2 cup reduced fat grated tasty cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat greated mozeralla cheese

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Brown mince in a large frying pan that has been coated with cooking spray, drain well and remove to a plate.

Respray the pan with cooking oil and add onions, carrots and capsicum. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes to soften then add the mushrooms and zucchini. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Return mince to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Set to one side.

Meanwhile melt butter or margarine in a saucepan. Add flour, mix well using a whisk. Slowly add the milk stirring constantly until the sauce boils and starts to thicken. Add dijon mustard and stir well. Season to taste.

Spoon 1/2 mixture over base of a lasagne dish. Cover with 1/3 of the white sauce. Top with 4 lasagne sheets. Spread remaining beef mixture over the lasagne sheets and cover with the remaining lasagne sheets. Spread remaining white sauce over the lasagne sheets and sprinkle with the combined grated cheese.

Cover with foil (spray foil with cooking spray to stop cheese sticking to the foil) and bake in oven for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for a further 5 - 10 minutes until cheese is golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Note I have labeled this post "freezable" and does freeze well both before and after cooking.

I have frozen this prior to cooking in the oven but I don't put the cheese on the top. I also ensure it is tightly wrapped with cling film and completely cooled prior to putting in the freezer. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, top with the cheese and cook as above.

To freeze individual portions you can either put single serves into plastic containers and freeze or individually wrap tightly in cling and freeze when cool.

Veal Goulash

Another meal cooked in the slow cooker and as usual meat very tender. Not only was the smell fantastic walking in the front door from work but the taste was great!
.

Veal Goulash

.
Serves: 8

Points per serve: 4

.

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 kilogram veal, cut into chunks

2 onions, sliced

1 large red capsicum, diced

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 cups beef stock

1 cup red wine

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2/3 cup light sour cream

4 tablespoons chives, chopped (optional)

.

In a large bag place flour and diced veal. Toss until all the veal is coated with the flour.

.

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Cook veal in batches until browned and sealed on all sides.

.

Place in slow cooker. Add the onion, capsicum, garlic, cumin seeds and paprika to slowcooker also.

.

In a jug mix the red wine and tomato paste together and then stir into casserole along with the beef stock. Cover slow cooker.

.

Cook on low for 10 - 12 hours or high for 6 - 8 hours.

.

Turn off slow cooker, stir through the sour cream. Once served sprinke with chives (if using).

.